Set to make its public premiere at theFrankfurt motor show in September, the new two door is planned to go on sale in Australia by the end of 2013 with three initial engine options and, in a move aimed at providing it with broader appeal than its predecessor, the choice of either rear- or four-wheel drive in selected models.

The 4-Series, first previewed in concept car form at theDetroit motor showback in January, is based on the same platform structure as the 3-Series sedan, although modifications to its chassis, including considerably wider front and rear tracks, provide it with a lower and wider appearance befitting its sporting brief. The proportions emphasise the new BMW’s longitudinal engine and standard rear-wheel drive layout with a distinctive cab backwards silhouette that has been a feature of the 3-Series based coupe since its inception in 1975.

2014 BMW 4-Series

Stylistically, the new car borrows heavily from the latest 3-Series sedan, most notably up front where the 4-Series adopts headlamps that butt up against the chrome surround of its kidney shaped grille. As tradition dictates, the long doors are frameless affairs. Despite the visual similarity to its four-door sibling, the body is unique.

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At 4638mm in length, 1825mm in width and 1362mm in height, the 4-Series coupe is 26mm longer, 43mm wider and 16mm lower than its predecessor. The bump in size sees kerb weight increase marginally, with the initial entry level model, the 420d coupe, hitting the scales at 1450 kilograms, or 30kg more than the old 320d coupe, in standard six-speed manual guise.

The altered exterior dimensions are allied to a larger footprint, with the wheelbase up by 50mm at 2810mm and the front and rear tracks extended by 45mm and 80mm to 1545mm and 1593mm respectively over the last 3-Series coupe. The widest part of the new BMW is across the rear wheel arches – something that helps provide it with a more aggressive cab backwards stance than the car it replaces.

The new BMW 4-Series coupe will provide the basis for the upcoming 4-Series convertible, which retains the folding hardtop of the car it replaces, the 3-Series convertible. Set for Australian sale in 2014, the new four-seat open top is planned to make its public premiere at the Los Angeles motor show in November. Also planned is the 4-Series GranCoupe – a sleek styled four-door liftback to rival the strong selling Audi A5 Sportback tentatively due to be shown at next year’s Geneva motor show.

Inside, the 4-Series coupe shares its dashboard, instrument binnacle and centre console with the 3-Series sedan. But with steeper screen angles and front seats that are more contoured and set lower than its four door sibling, it offers a more overtly sporting driving position.

As with all BMWs, options are plentiful, including a colour head-up display, the latest generation of navigation and connectivity functions, driver assistance plus that warns of a potential pedestrian collision, high beam assistant to automatically dip the headlamps, attentiveness assistant to warn of drowsiness and active cruise control with a stop/go function to ease driving in traffic jams.

The increase in external dimensions and larger footprint sees the rear bench offer more accommodation than before while nominal boot capacity is put at 445 litres – a mere five litres more than the 3-Series coupe it replaces but 35 litres less than the 3-Series sedan. An optional Smart Opener allows the boot to be opened remotely by a short movement of your foot under the centre of the rear bumper as on other recent new BMW models.

The 4-Series coupe will be launched with a limited range of four- and six-cylinder in-line engines, including a 2.0-litre four diesel with 135kW in the 420d, a turbocharged 2.0-litre four petrol unit with 180kW in the 428i and a turbocharged 3.0-litre six with 225kW in the 435i.

All engines will come mated to standard six-speed manual gearbox, with an eight-speed automatic with remote steering wheel mounted shift paddles available as an option. In BMW tradition, rear-wheel drive will be standard with selected models, including the 428i and 435i, set to offer optional four-wheel drive in combination with the eight-speed automatic gearbox, which together add 80kg to the kerb weight. A range of fuel saving functions, including automatic stop/start, brake energy recuperation and optimum shift indicator, are standard as part of BMW’s EfficientDynamics initiative.

The fastest accelerating of the bunch is the 435i xDrive, which is claimed to hit 100km/h from standstill in 4.9sec – just 0.1sec slower than the outgoing M3 coupe - and reach a top speed limited to 250km/h. For frugality, the 420d holds the aces, with claimed combined cycled consumption of 4.7L/100km/h in manual guise and CO2 emissions of 124g/km.

Shortly after its launch, BMW plans to extend the line-up with three further engine options: a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol unit with 135kW in the 420i and a 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo diesel with 190kW in the 430d and 230kW in the 435d – the latter of which is planned to be sold exclusively with four-wheel drive and an eight speed automatic gearbox, according to Drive sources, owing to its prodigious 600Nm torque rating.

Topping the line-up will be the M3 coupe replacement, which is set to take the name M4 coupe. It is planned to make its world debut alongside the M3 sedan at next year’s Geneva motor show. Gone is the the naturally aspirated 4.0-litre V8 engine of its predecessor for a heavily tuned twin-turbocharged version of BMW’s classic 3.0-litre in-line six-cylinder petrol engine that is claimed to deliver in the region of 320kW.

BMW is already talking up the dynamic properties of its latest two door coupe, suggesting it is one of the sportiest cars in its line-up. The suspension has been lowered in comparison to the 3-Series sedan, reducing both its centre of gravity and roll centre. As with its four-door sibling, the 4-Series coupe is also claimed to possess a 50:50 front-to-rear weight distribution. The steering adopts electro-mechanical speed sensitive assistance with a variable ratio system available as an option. The standard wheels and tyres are 17-inches in diameter.

Why the change of name?

BMW’s official reason for forgoing the traditional 3-Series coupe name in favour of the 4-Series coupe nomenclature is simple enough: it wants to provide its new two door with a more individual flavour, both stylistically and dynamically. The move follows the establishment of the6-Series coupe further up the range and precedes the appearance of the 2-Series coupe, next year’s replacement for the 1-Series coupe. That BMW also expects to be able to charge more for the 4-Series coupe than the old 3-Series coupe is something company officials aren’t prepared to divulge, but sheepishly acknowledge.

32 comments so far

Looking forward to a 435i XDrive, with MSport Kit and MSport Performance bits....

Commenter

Timothy

Location

Melbourne

Date and time

June 17, 2013, 10:49AM

Agreed in red or the 'M sport' blue that will look awesome!!!

Commenter

N

Location

Date and time

June 17, 2013, 3:10PM

should go great driving around melbourne pot holed cbd at 30kph being constantly monitored. you had better opt for racing seats too. those toll roads can get hairy when your crawling along at 15kph. I reckon the average one will clock up about 8000kms a year - if that. that means 99% of the time it will sit parked bleeding value. the rest of the time out on the roads averaging 30kph. nice one timothy.

Commenter

smilingjack

Location

Date and time

June 18, 2013, 9:49AM

but smileyjack, he gets to look at it. That's the whole point.

Commenter

lolwat

Location

Date and time

June 18, 2013, 3:57PM

I like the external look but there's something about the interior that grates, its hard to put your finger on it but I think its the angle of the dash component that the I-Drive is located on, when combined with the angle of the gear leaver surround it seems visually disjointed to me. Interesting that they're still using a manual handbrake too, I suppose that's for those people that like to do handbrake turns in their 100k coupes...

Commenter

Mikka

Location

Date and time

June 17, 2013, 10:59AM

Surprising actually, as they use an electronic version in the X5.

Commenter

Timothy

Location

Melbourne

Date and time

June 17, 2013, 1:29PM

What it may be, is the awkward downward curve of the dashtop at each end, over the dash trim piece (shared with the 3). I have never thought it looks right. OTOH, the 1 series (which shares the same interior design) is the reverse - it's dashtop recedes upwards at each end, following the upward curve of the trim piece. This looks much more natural, IMO.

Commenter

Lester

Location

Date and time

June 17, 2013, 2:31PM

I agree especially in the Auto version

Commenter

N

Location

Date and time

June 17, 2013, 3:12PM

Only a German company could think that changing the name from 3 to 4 gives the car "individualistic stylistic flavour".